Electric switch.



VF. BARR.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPUcATloN FILED MAR.13,1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Patented May 30, 1916.

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' WIT/VESSES F. BARR.

ELECTRIC swlTcH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13, 1914.

Patented May 30, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Il Ill F. BARR.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.13,1914.

1,185,579, Patented May3o,1916.

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FREDERIC BARR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.v

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 13, 1914. Serial No. 824,369.

To all @t0/"1.0911, t may concern Be it known that I, FREDERIC BARR, a cit1- zen of the United States of America, and residing at New York, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have 1nvented new and useful Improvements 1n Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to switches of the socalled key socket type.

The main object of my invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, compact, reliable and positive acting switch of high current carrying capacity.

The invention is preferably embodied in mechanism adapted to break the circuit at two points so as to reduce arcing effects and preferably the device is constructed so as to interrupt the arc.

The switch preferably embodies a rotary switch element whose movement is accelerated by a throwing spring which engages acam connected with the rotary switch element. Preferably this throwing spring carries no current and independent spring contacts are provided which are arranged to bear against the rotary switch element.

rlhe throwing spring preferably extends longitudinally of the switch spindle and is preferably housed in an independent cham ber in the insulating switch base separated from the spindle and from the outside of the base by insulating walls.

The invention may be embodied in insulating switch bases of one-piece and twopiece construction.

Other' features of the invention will appear as the specification proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated several practical embodiments of different features of my invention.

Figure 1, is a longitudinal sectional View of a two-piece base, double-break switch construction in which the rotary switch vmember is carried by an arc-interrupting insulating block and the throwing cam is in the form of a metallic'memberconnected to the insulating block. Fig. 2, is a partial sectional view of the same taken substantially on the plane of the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a perspective drop view of the-key spindle,

throw/ing spring, switch contacts and arc in-l terrupter. Fig. 4, `is a face view of the arcinterrupting switch block which carries the rotary switch member. Fig. 5, is a -view of the back or reverse side of the same. Figli, is a longitudinal sectional view of a onepiece insulating base construction embodying the general features of the construction shown in the preceding'figures. Fig. 7, is a sectional view of the same taken substan tially on the plane of the line 7-7 in Fig. 6. Fig. 8, is a longitudinal sectional view of a rammed May so, taie.

two-piece base construction in which the rotary switch element is mounted direct on the spindle and the throwing cam is made an integral part of the same. Fig. 9, is a partial sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 9-9 in Fig. 8. Fig. 10, i is another sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 10-10 in Fig. 8. Fig. 11, is a plan view of the upper member of the porcelain orl like insulating base employed in this construction. Fig. 12, is a view of the underside of this so-called top porcelain'. Fig. 13, is a viewof the upper face of the lower porcelain. Fig. 14, is a bottom plan view of the lower porcelain. Fig. 15, is a detail view of the insulating disk or washer which closes the lower side of the spring chamber in this construction. Fig. 16, is a drop perspective view of the spindle, throwing spring. and switch contacts in this form of the invention. Fig.v 17, is a side elevational view of a one-piece base construction having features in common with the construction shown in Figs. 8 to 16. Fig. 18, is a view looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 17, with the spindle and the screw shell shown in section. Fig. 19, is a plan view of this construction. Fig. 20, is a longitudinal section taken substantially on the plane of the line 20-20l in Fig. 19. Fig. 21, is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the plane .of the line 21-21 of Fig. 20, with the spindle omitted. Fig. 22 is a bottom plan view of the insulating base in this form. Fig. 23, is a longitudinal sectional view of a form of construction similar to that shown in Figs. 17 to 22 but wherein the throwing spring is used to carry current. Fig. 24:, is a part sectional view of this form looking in the direction of the arrow in .F ig. 23.

The base of the switch is made of suitable insulating material, such as porcelain, and may be of one piece or two piece construction, as desired. When made in two pieces,

` means of through screws, one of which appears at 32 in Fig. 9.

Journaled in a transverse passage 34 in the base is an operating spindle 35, usually provided with a key or handle 36. For convenience in assembling, this spindle passage, is, in the two-piece structure usually provided by forming channels or'recesses 34 in the meeting faces of the two blocks (Figs. 12 and 13') which, when`the blocks are assembled coperate to form the complete spindle passage. The turning of thei spindle is facilitated by providing it with flanged bearing` sleeves or bushings 37 which are clamped between the two blocks.

A switch chamber 39 is formed in the base at one end of the spindle passage and mounted on the spindle within this chamber is the rotary switch element and throwing l Cam.

In' the first form oflthe invention the rotary switch element consists of a contact plate 40 carried by an arc-interrupting insulatin block'll and thethrowin cam is in the form of a cam-shaped metal ic mem- 'ber42 suitably connected with the insulating hlock. In the specific .construction illustrated, the arc-interruptertl is of substantially oval or elliptical shape and is provided with a recess 56 in its face to receive the contact plate 40 which is thus disposed transversely'of the spindle. To provide the necessary contacts',vthe end portions 43 of the `plate 40 are bent over into notches 411 in the end edges of the switch block coextensive with the recess in the face. of the block and 'the plate is shownsecured to the block by bending .its eXtremey end portions l4:5 down into the coextensive recesses 46 in the back of the block. At the sides, the contact plate is protected by the outstanding .side Hanges 47 -of the block andl it is protected from contact with the spindle by the central projecting hub 4:8, the plate having a central opening 49 to receive this hub.v This insulating hub 48 usually projects a distance greater than the thickness of the plate,

so that it will, as indicated in Fig. 1,1prevent any possibility of the contact plate ever engaging with the metal washer 50 or other A Listera cess 54, which receives a transverse pin 55 on the spindle. rllhis construction provides a lost-motion connection between the spindle and cam and as the switch block moves with the cam, the switch block is thus loosely keyed on the spindle.

i 60 is the throwing spring, which by its engagement with the cam, serves to throw the rotaryswitch member with a quick snap action. ln its preferred construction. this spring is made-of flat spring metal with a relatively flat base portion 61and a spring arm 62, bent back over the base portion substantially parallel therewith, and carrying a widened contact face 63'also substantially parallel with the base portion and adapted for engagement with the relatively wide contact face of the cam. Ilhe sprin of this construction is powerful and at t e` same time is so compact as to take up but very little room in the switch body. As the flexibility and strength of the spring is dependent to an extent upon its length, ll prefer to place it longitudinally of the spindle so that it may be made as long as necessary to give the best spring action. This longitudinal Adisposition of the throwing spring is clearly illustratedl in Fig. 1 and this view also illustrates how this spring is preferably housed in a chamber 65 substantially parallel to the` spindle passage and separated therefrom by anv insulating wall 66. This chamber is preferably closed to the outside by an insulating wall 67, which in the constructions shown in Figs. 1 and 8,`is provided by a disk or washer 68 (Fig. 15) of insulating material, secured to the lower porcelain by screws 69, (Fig. 2).'

'lhe throwing spring is preferably secured directto the insulating base and is shown so secured bya screw 70 and nut 72. rllhe insulating base has a hole 71 to receive this screw and the base portion of the spring yhas a screw opening 73. lf the metal of the throwing spring` is heavy enough the nut may be dispensed with and the screw he engaged direct in.` the base portion of the spring. To prevent the free end of the throwing spring from engaging against the securing means when the spring is cornpressed, the springl is usually made with a neck portion 75 at the end of the spring arm inclined away from the base portion so as to support the contact end of the spring away fromthe base portion far enough to llt across the cam 105 to the lower switch terminal 78 and, by way of a @curing screw 108 to the center lamp contact 86, and from the other lamp terminal 85 by way of securing screw 69 tolthe other circuit terminal 84. The last two constructions described are so nearly alike that the same porcelain may be used either for a double-break switch like that shown in Figs. 17 to 20 or for a singlebreak switch like that shown in Figs. 23 and 24. F or the sake of this int'erchangeability, l have shown the porcelain provided with the screw hole 100 approximately at the center of the block to receive the screw 99 when making up the double-break construction (Fig. 20) and with an eXtra screw hole 111 nearer the edge of the block to receive the securing screw 104 when making up the single-break construction.- The unused 'screw hole may be plugged up in any suitable way., Instead of providing two screw holes, af

single screw hole might be provided and the throwing springs be made vto suit a double cam 93 like that shown in Fig. 20 or a single.' cam like thlat shown in Fig. 23.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there are a number of advantages in the invention. rlhe parts are so constructed and arranged that the insulating base and the metal parts can be easily 'made and asssembled. rl`he method of mounting and housing the metal parts insures proper insulatione` By using a powerful throwing spring and a relatively slow acting contact spring it is pcssible to obtain a quicker break of the circuit. rlhe insulating carrier for the rotary switch contact prevents the drawing out of anarc when the circuit is broken. lt will be v obvious that a device may be so constructed as to have only a part of these advantages.

As the constructions illustrated may be varied somewhat and still embody features of the invention, it will be understood that the terms employed in the claims are terms of description9 rather than of limitation, eX- cept so far as may be required by the prior art.

Whatl claim is 1. ln an electric switch, an insulating base provided with a transverse spindle passage and with a spring chamber separated from said spindle passage and from the outside of the base by relatively stationary insulating walls, a spindle seated in the spindle passage, a cam on the spindle adjacent the end of the spring chamber and a throwingmettete sage and with aspring chamber disposed parallel to the spindle passage and separated from said passage by an insulating wall and having a screw hole opening from the outside into said spring chamber, a spindle lseated in the spindle passage, a .cam on the spindle adjacent one end of the spring chamber, a throwing spring mounted in the spring chamber extending longitudinally of the spindle but separated from the spindle by the insulating wall aforesaid and projecting from the end of said chamber into engagement with the cam, anda screw seated in the screw hole and securin the throwing spring directly to the insulating base.

In an electric switch, an insulating base having closed upper and lower ends and provided with an intermediate switch chamber, a transverse spindle passage intersecting the switch chamber and a transvewi spring` chamber intersecting the switch chamber and disposed parallel to the spindle passage and separated therefrom by an insulating wall, a key spindle seated in the spindle passage, a cam on said spindle located in the switch chamber substantially at the intersection of the switch chamber by the spring chamber, and a throwing spring mounted in the spring chamber and extending longitudinally out of the spring chamber into engagement with the cam.

4. ln an electric switch, an insulating base, a key spindle journaled in the base, a relatively Hat faced cam on said spindle, and a throwing spring having a relatively flat base portion secured to the insulating base, a spring portion doubled back over the base` substantially parallel thereto, a neck portion at the endof said spring portion bent up at an angle therefrom away than the neck portion to make a wide bearing engagement with the relatively flat face of the'cam. v a

5. ln an electric switch, an insulating base, a spindle journaled in the base, spaced apart switch contacts secured to the base at opposite sides of the spindle, an arc-interrupting insulating block keyed on the spindle having a length substantially equal to the distance between the switch contacts, a switch contact carried by and extending lengthwise of said block with its ends eX- posed at the end edges of said block whereby to engage the relatively stationary switch contacts when said switch block is turned with its length in line with the space between said switch contacts, said switch block having a width less than the distance between the switch contacts to thereby become disengaged from both switch contacts ,when said switch block isturned with its mesme width in line with the spaced apart switch contacts, a cam on the spindle and a throwing spring engaging the said cam.

6. In an electric switch, an insulating base provided with a transverse spindle passage and with a spring chamber separated from said spindle passage and from' the outside of the base by insulating walls, a spindle seated in the spindle passage, an arc-interrupting insulating block keyed on said spindle and provided with a cam disposed adjacent the end of the spring chamber, a transversely extending movable switch contact carried by said block and having its ends exposed at the opposite edges of said block, relatively stationary switch contacts on the base adapted to -be engaged by the exposed ends of the movable switch contact and a throwing spring mounted in the spring chamber and extending longitudinally of the spindle but separated ther from by thoe insulating wall aforesaid a d projecting out of the end of said. chamber into engagement with the cam.

7. In an electric switch, an insulating base provided with atransverse spindle passage and with a transverse spring chamber separated from the spindle passage and from the outside of the base by relatively stationary insulating walls, a spindle journaled in the spindle passage, an oval-shaped arc-interrupting insulating blockA keyed on lthe spindle, a switch contact extending across .one face of said insulating block along the major axis thereof and having its ends bent over the edges of the block to yprovide exposed contact portions, relatively stationary switch contacts on the base spaced apart a distance less than the maj or axis and greater than the minor aXis of the oval-shaped i'nsulating block in position to be engaged by the exposed contact portions of the movable switch member, a cam on the spindle and a throwing spring disposed in the switch chamber parallel to the spindle having a base portion secured. directly to the insulating base and a spring arm portion doubled back over the said base portion and engaging the cam aforesaid.

8. In an electric switch, the combination of an insulating base, a spindle journaled therein, an arc-interrupting insulating block keyed on said spindle, a transversely disposed switch contact extending across one face of said block and having its ends bent -over the edges ofl the block to form contact portions, outstanding flanges on the face of the insulating block inclosing the side edges of the transversely extending switch contact and terminating at the points where the end contact portions are bent over the edges of the block and relatively stationary switch contacts on the base disposed at opposite sides of the spindle and facing toward tlie spindle to be thereby engaged by the end contact portions ofthe relatively 4 movable switch contact.

9. In an electric switch, an insulating i base, a spindle journaled therein, an arc-interrupting insulating block keyed on said spindle and provided with a projecting hub and with side flanges outstanding from one face thereof, a transversely extending contact plate received between the side flanges Vprovided with a transversely extending recess in one face thereof and with peripheral recesses communicating with said ltransversely extending lrecess, a switch contact seated in the transversely extending recess and having its ends bent over into the peripheral recesses in the insulating block to form contact portions,I relatively stationary switch contacts on the base adapted to be engaged by the end contact portions of the transversely extending movable switch contact, a cam carried by the switch block and a throwing spring engaging said cam to throw the said switch block. i

l1. In an electric switch, an insulating base, a spindle journaled in the base, an insulating block keyed on said spindle and provided with a transversely extending recess in the face thereof, peripheral recesses i in opposite edges vthereof communicating with the said `transverse recess and recesses in the back thereof communicating with the peripheral recesses, a switch contact seated infthe transversely extending recess and hav- 'one face thereof, a switch contact carried by said insulating block, relatively stationary switch contacts on the base adapted to be engaged by the movable switch members, a cam member loosely engaged on the spindle, provided with an angular recess in one face fitting` the angular boss on the insulating block and with a transversely extend ing recess in its opposite face, and a trans--l m@ versely extending pin carried by the spindle and engaging in the transverse recess in the face of the cam member.

13. ln an electric switch, a rotatable spindle, an angular member carried thereby, a strong throwing spring coaoting with said angular member, an oval shaped insulating arc-interrupting member mounted on said spindle havingI a transverse recess extending across one face and along the major axis thereof, a contact member seated in said transverse recess and having contact faces exposed only at the e'nds of the major axis of said insulating member and a pair of relatively weak contact springs adapted to engage the said contact faces as the same are ro-tatedby said spindle, said insulating member being adapted to interrupt the arc which tends to form when the circuit -is faces of the said contact portions, a con tact spring arranged to bear relatively lightly on the contact portions and the rounded glazed insulating surfaces adjacent thereto, a cam connected with the insulating carrier and a relatively powerful throwing spring engaging the said cam.

l5. In an electric switch, an insulating base provided with a switch chamber in one face thereof, a transverse spindle passage intersecting said chamber and a spring chamber extending from the switch chamber transversely into the body of the base parallel to the spindle passage and'separated from said passage and from the outside of the base by insulating walls,.a spin'- dle journaled in the spindle passage, a reversely bent spring seated in the spring chamber extending longitudinally of the spindle and having a free end projecting out of the spring chamber into the switch chamber, means securing said spring to the insulating base and a cam on the spindle within the switch chamber engaged by the free end of the spring.

16. ln an electric switch, an insulating base provided with a switch chamber in one face thereof, a transverse spindle passage intersecting said chamber and a spring chamber extending from the switch chamber transversely into the body of the base parallel to the spindle passage and separated from said passage and from the outside of the base by insulating Walls, a spindle journaled in the spindle passage, a

ythrowing spring seated in the spring chamber having a flat base secured to the insulating base and a reversely bent spring arm projecting out of the spring chamber into the switch chamber, a termlnal secured in at engagement with the Hat base of the spring and a metal cam on the spindle within the switch chamber in position to be engaged by the projecting free end 0f the throwing spring.

' FREDERIC BARR.

Witnesses:

il. GILMAN, PHILIP S. MCLEAN. 

